Key Figure in Stewart Trial Dies After Collapsing at Train Stop

[kskiska]

An important figure in the Martha Stewart stock-fraud trial collapsed at a train station and died, just two days after giving testimony that appeared to damage the defense.

Jeremiah Gutman, an 80-year-old lawyer who once represented the star witness for the prosecution, collapsed Wednesday on a Metro-North platform in Hastings in suburban Westchester County.

He was found unconscious on a staircase and died later at a hospital, Metro-North spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said Thursday. The cause was an apparent heart attack, associates of the lawyer said.

Gutman represented Merrill Lynch & Co. assistant Douglas Faneuil in early 2002, shortly after Faneuil handled Stewart's sale of nearly 3,928 shares of ImClone Systems stock.

Faneuil initially told investigators Stewart sold after he gave her a stock quote. But he changed his story in 2002, saying broker Peter Bacanovic had ordered him to tip Stewart that ImClone CEO Sam Waksal was trying to sell his own shares.

Gutman testified on Monday, called as a witness by Bacanovic's lawyers - but his testimony appeared to backfire on the defense as he backed up essential pieces of Faneuil's story.

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[GCP]

1. I guess the stress was too much for the old guy

It's a pity he couldn't have died in bed with his family around him, instead of getting dragged into a high publicity trial and collapsing at the train station on the way home.

[grasswire]

2. what's.......

....an 80-year-old man doing riding the subway in such a situation? Gee. Couldn't the prosecutor's office drive their elderly witness? This is very unfortunate.

I wonder if it will result in a mistrial.

[Cassandra]

3. Above ground commuter train...

not the subway. That said, he should have been driven in a car.